Asking questions can be hard work

A large part of my job is asking questions. Sometimes I ask good questions. However, there are times when I ask really stupid questions. I generally know it’s stupid before my voice inflection changes to produce that final verbal punctuation.

I talked to 49ers fullback Moran Norris this week. Norris is a Houston native who spent four seasons as a fullback for the Texans before signing with the 49ers in 2006 as a free agent. He played for the 49ers in ’06 and ’07. Then, when 49ers offensive coordinator Mike Martz was looking for a different skill set from their fullback, Norris was cut.

After playing 11 games for the winless Lions, Norris re-signed with the 49ers this offseason. Here is the podcast of our conversation. And I’ll admit to not exactly being at the top of my game as an interviewer:

* * *

Speaking of bad questions . . .

This isn’t meant to ridicule anyone – only to entertain. But through this blog, Twitter, Facebook and personal emails, I receive hundreds of questions a week. Some of them are very good. But, man, there are also some that are . . . well . . .

Q: Is there any news with the tampering charges against the Jets?

A: Oh, darn, I guess I forgot to report a couple weeks ago that the NFL made a decision. It totally slipped my mind.

This is very similar to the numerous questions I received of “Has Michael Crabtree signed yet?” In the case of the Crabtree questions, I think people were restless and trying to be funny.

And to answer the question: No. There is no news. But when there is, I’m sure you’ll hear about it. (And when you do, please let me know.)

Q: Who do you think the 49ers will draft with their 2 first-round picks? Anyone they’re looking at?

A: Have you consulted a calendar? It’s October, for crying out loud. That means it’s still two months away from knowing which picks the 49ers will own in the 2010 draft.

Right now, I’m thinking the 49ers are going to win the Super Bowl, and they’re going to beat the Panthers in the NFC Championship game. Therefore, the 49ers will have the Nos. 30 and 32 picks in the first round. I have yet to do my mock draft to figure out the first 29 selections, so I’m sorry I can’t help you.

Q: Do you think the Niners should start Smith against Houston if Hill plays like he did against Atlanta?

A: Absolutely, yes. But by the time we know if Hill is going to have a bad game, it’ll be too late for Smith to start.

Q: Will Crabtree be doing a 40 time?

A: Oh, sure. They’re going to cut into his preparation time for a 40-yard dash – just to see if they still would have selected him No. 10 overall if they’d known that bit of information. But before he runs the 40, he’s going to do the cone drill and see how many times he can bench press 225 pounds.

* * *

This isn’t necessarily a bad question, but I think it’s something I’m going to be answering a lot. And I do have a strong opinion . . . .

Q: If the 49ers look to the draft for another quarterback, don’t you think Tim Tebow would be a great fit to Singletary’s attitude?

A: Personally, I think Tebow is the greatest college football player I’ve ever seen. If there were such thing as a college draft, I’d choose him No. 1 overall. A power-running quarterback with his size and athleticism is perfect for college football.

However, I can’t envision any NFL team selecting him in the first two rounds as a quarterback. He simply does not throw the ball well enough. His throwing motion is long, his passes flutter and I’ve rarely seen him fit a pass into a tight spot. He’s surrounded by extraordinary talent at Florida that camouflages his deficiencies as a pure passer. And to be a quarterback in the NFL, you have to be able to throw the ball exceptionally well.

Tebow’s best attribute as a college player simply does not translate to the NFL game. If he tried to put his head down and run up the middle like he does in college, he won’t last long. Everything I’ve read and heard about him is that he’s one heck of a kid. But that whole leadership thing only goes so far in the NFL.

Personally, I think his best bet in the NFL would be as a tight end or H-back. And I think he has a chance to be a really good player at the next level – just not as a quarterback.